Show off the animal in your pet by dressing her in a zebra-print collar-and-leash combo. After a brisk walk through the neighborhood, reward her with a special treat from a matching treat can.

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I can’t count the number of times we have been somewhere, and my dog needs water. This is a really easy way to keep your dog satisfied. You can throw it in a purse, or a bag, or just keep it in your car. This portable dog bowl is great for long walks, camping, or many others outdoor activities. Simply add water!

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I love trying different feet for my sewing machine, it’s always an adventure and I learn a lot. My latest find is the Pearl & Piping Foot from Baby Lock.

I recently used this foot to attach a string of beads to a project I’ve been slowly working on. My confidence had me overly hiped about how easy this would be — I can do it in no time, this will only take a second! Little did I know…

After several needle breaks, jamming the machine (which causes an awful noise), and all of my patience, I finally finished. Here is what I learned:

• Reduce the pressure on the presser foot (you can do this in the settings for you machine, consult you manual for assitance)
• You made need to raise the presser foot, depending on the size of your beads/pearls/piping
• Use a zig-zag stitch that is slightly wider than your beads/pearls/piping
• When going around corners and making turns widen or lengthen your stitch
• Sew slowly, it isn’t a race
• Consider wearing safety eyewear, just in case you do break a needle (or in my case, three) — you don’t want it to fly back and hit you in the eye (or in my case, the cheek and nose)

Lounging poolside was never so stylish or comfortable! Make this easy-to-assemble chair cover-up with a pocket for your sunglasses, sunscreen, and your favorite book!

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While tooling around on YouTube the other day, I ran across this vintage Singer video. It’s hard to believe that “back in the day” there were door-to-door sewing machine salesmen!

Oh yeah, replace Singer with Baby Lock — no longer door-to-door, but still offering great classes and amazing independent retailers that will actually take the time to teach you how to use your machine!

As vacation time nears, get ready to catch some z’s on those long flights or road trips. What’s better, this simple but stylish pillow case is constructed of 4 fat quarters so there is no yardage to buy and minimal fabric leftover.

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Recently, I have been invited to numerous baby showers. I prefer to give a gift that is personal and unique. This tag blanket is perfect for babies. You can attach a toy to the ribbon and then attach it to the car seat so they never lose it. It looks great with their name or initial in the corner of the blanket.

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Every child likes to be recognized and especially on their birthday. I have made a chair cover that is perfect to leave at preschool so everyone in class can use it on their special day.

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Passion for Fashion Winning Gown from 2009

Hi everyone! I am sew excited to be a part of TotallyStitchin as a Stitchin Woman, as well as the spokes “designer” for the new Baby Lock Love of Fashion Program. Love of Fashion is a series of fashion design classes that I teach around the country at various Baby Lock events and Baby Lock Dealers. I hope to share my love of fashion and design through draping, sketching, and other design skills that I uses each and every day in my studio with my clients. I have been using Baby Lock Machines since high school, but all of this came about as a result of the Passion for Fashion Design Competition sponsored by Baby Lock that I won last fall.

Passion for Fashion is just like a Project Runway Design Challenge where designers compete live for two days during the American Sewing Expo in Novi, Mi. Designers all around the country submit a small portfolio entry hoping to be one of 12 finalists selected to come and compete live. This year on Friday September 24th, designers will be given the secret challenge, $100 to buy fabric and the clock will begin. You have to design, pattern, sew and fit to your model by the next day for live judging. At the completion of a live fashion show the winner will be announced. It could be you! I can’t wait to see what that challenge will be this year. This is a wonderful program and Baby Lock will once again sponsor by providing the machines to sew on as well as providing the winner with thier own fabulous Baby lock machine. Winning had such a huge impact on my design work and business, so I encourage anyone who loves fashion sewing to enter the competition. Entry forms are available at www.americansewingexpo.com. As part of the prize package I won a trip to NYC. Next time I will share some of my experiences fabric shopping in NYC.

Alright, we love to sew, but what are some of our other hobbies? If you’re like me, then you love to bake and watch those ultimate cake shows (which are awesome — 600 lbs of cake, 6 ft tall, moving parts, what’s not to love?!).

Recently Threads Magazine wrote an article about sewing machine inspired cakes — too cool! Alright, so none of them are Baby Lock machines, but the talent and time it took to make this is pretty amazing. The only non-edible items on the cake to the right is the needle mechanism, which is wood to help support the rest of the cake.

Sewing + Food = Harmony!